Stoughton earns another Manitoba title

For nearly two decades, Jeff Stoughton has been in the top ranks of the competitive curling scene. And, with a victory Feb. 2 in the Manitoba men’s provincial curling playdowns, the skip from Winnipeg’s Charleswood Curling Club made it clear that he still has the competitive edge.

(Photo CCA/Michael Burns)

Stoughton, with teammates Jon Mead, Reid Carruthers and Mark Nichols, defeated Mike McEwen in the provincial final to advance to the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier, presented by SecurTek, March 1-9 in Kamloops.

It represented the third time in the past five years that Stoughton has downed McEwen in the championship match.

Stoughton will be making his 11th trip to the Canadian men’s championship where he has won the Tankard three times, as well as a pair of world championships. As it happens, Kamloops was the scene of his first victory celebration in 1996.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” said Stoughton. “That was a lifetime ago… 18 years. I’ve got some great memories from Kamloops and I’m really looking forward to going back.”

The Stoughton team admittedly didn’t play up to expectations at the 2013 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings Canadian Curling Trials, contested on hometown ice at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre.

“We just didn’t bring our A games, at least I certainly didn’t,” said the skip. “But it really wasn’t as much of a disappointment as you might think. It would have been a lot worse losing in the final.

“We took some time off and then got together as a team and just decided we didn’t want to waste all the hard work and training we’d put in.”

The team rebounded in January with a stellar performance for Team North America at the 2014 World Financial Group Continental Cup, where Stoughton was unquestionably one of the hottest shooters on the ice.

While Stoughton has stated he’s not prepared to be a contender in the four-year cycle leading to the 2017 Trials, he will still be in the hunt for more Canadian titles.

“It never gets old… it’s always really exciting. There’s something fresh about it every year, especially this time with the winners coming back next year as Team Canada. It’s pretty cool to be part of that scenario.”

“You Gotta Be There” when the top teams in the country compete in the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier in the Interior Savings Centre. Some of the best seats in the house are still available – reserve yours today by clicking here.